Glossary

In this book, it is our aim to provide a gentle introduction to some of the technical terms used in botany. These words usually have a precise meaning in botany which allows us to avoid long descriptions. Those terms used in the text are listed below.

Anther

pollen sac at the top of the stamen

Aril

fleshy attachment to a seed

Axillary bud

bud in the angle between a leaf and the stem

Bipinnate

divided two times in a pinnate fashion, usually referring to a compound leaf

Bole

the unbranched part of a tree trunk

Bracteole

a modified leaf at the base of a flower and above the true bract

Calyx

outer whorl of a flower

Carpel

a female part of a flower, which is either single or multiple; in flowers with multiple carpels they may be fused together or separate

Cordate

heart shaped at one end, when referring to a leaf

Corolla

the whorl that is inside the calyx, with lobes called petals

Dioecious

describing species that have separate male and female individuals

Domatia

structures on leaves in which tiny insects live, these may be cavities or tufts of hair

Endocarp

the inner layer of a fruit, surrounding the seeds

Exudate

a liquid which comes out of a plant, for example sap

Follicle

a pod from a single carpel

Inflorescence

specialised branches with flowers

Leaflet

small leaf-like division of a compound leaf

Midrib

the middle vein on a leaf or leaflet

Ovate

egg shaped, that is wider towards the base

Peduncle

Peduncle

Perianth

the combined whorls of corolla and calyx or single whorl if either one is absent